A preliminary type, form, or instance of a product or product component that serves as a model for later stages or for the final, complete version of the product. This model (e.g., physical, electronic, digital, and analytical) can be used for the following (and other) purposes:
- Assessing the feasibility of a new or unfamiliar technology
- Assessing or mitigating technical risk
- Validating requirements
- Demonstrating critical features
- Qualifying a product
- Qualifying a process
- Characterizing performance or product features
- Elucidating physical principles